Scottish Catholic Observer

DEPUTY Prime Minister Nick Clegg, a confirmed atheist, will greet Pope Benedict XVI on behalf of the UK Government at his official welcoming ceremony in Edinburgh next Thursday morning.

Prime Minister David Cameron is likely to miss the ceremony at Holyroodhouse Palace where senior politicians and religious leaders will be amongst hundreds of guests presented to the Holy Father by the queen at the beginning of his four-day state visit to the UK.

Government representation

The Prime Minister’s name has not been included on the official schedule for the reception, which would mean that Mr Clegg—who, while married to a Catholic, has stated he is ‘not an active believer’—would represent the government.

While it was not confirmed whether or not the Prime Minister would attend the ceremony Downing Street has said that Mr Cameron will have a private meeting with the Holy Father at some point during the four-day visit.

The Prince of Wales will also not be present when the Pope is greeted to Scotland by the queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and senior politicians.

The heir to the throne will also miss the Holy Father’s address to hundreds of members of ‘civil society’ at Westminster Hall, London, who will include religious leaders and former prime ministers.

A source at Clarence House said: “The prince didn’t request a meeting. He met the Pope at the Vatican last year.”

Protests

Meanwhile the Archbishop of Southwark Peter Smith, will this week meet leading campaigners planning to protest against the Pope’s visit to London and ask them to show respect to those celebrating the visit of the Holy Father.

The Protest the Pope group has planned a march on September 18 to coincide with the Pope’s visit to the capital, which will culminate in a vigil in Hyde Park.

Ahead of the meeting Archbishop Smith said he had no intention of infringing the rights of those intending to protest against the Papal visit but said he planned to use the encounter to encourage them not to become overly confrontational.

“I’ve always said, thank God in this country we have free speech,” he said.

“They are perfectly entitled to protest. What I would ask of all of them is to do so in a dignified way, which does not disrupt the joy of the Catholic community in welcoming the Pope. I hope they would show respect to those of us who do have [religious] convictions.”

— [email protected]